Tag: YES Network

Nets viewership on YES Network showing huge growth from 2019-20

Turns out quite a few people are watching the Kevin Durant and the rest of the Brooklyn Nets on a nightly basis.

Nationally televised games receive all the hype in the NBA — of which, Brooklyn has 19 in the first 37 games of the 2020-21 season. But the Nets faithful are much more accustomed to watching Ian Eagle, Sarah Kustok and Michael Grady on YES Network, whose viewership growing.

The network announced on Thursday that Brooklyn’s loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers was the most-viewed Nets telecast on YES since December 8, 2014 — oddly enough, also a night where Brooklyn played the Cavs. The game in 2014 averaged 179,000 viewers, and Wednesday’s averaged 159,000 and peaked at 242,000.

Additionally, YES announced that through Wednesday, the station’s Nets viewership is up 89% from last season — 85,000 viewers per game this year to 45,000 per game in 2019-20.

Amazing what a healthy Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving can do, along with the Nets’ new arrival, James Harden.

The Nets’ big three goes up against the Cavs again in their text game, which will be on YES Friday night.

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Report: Longtime Nets TV analyst Jim Spanarkel not returning to YES broadcast

After being part of New Jersey and Brooklyn Nets broadcasts for 30 years, Jim Spanarkel’s time on YES has come to an end.

Nets fans don’t need to be reminded the franchise has had its share of struggles through the years. Julius Erving’s two ABA titles are barely visible in the rearview mirror, leaving only New Jersey’s two Jason Kidd-led back-to-back finals appearances right after the turn of the century as the franchise’s high point since joining the NBA.

But that’s all expected to take a back seat now that Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are both healthy and ready to go for the start of the 2020-21 season — which is set to begin on December 22.

Yet, one person who’s been a fixture of Nets basketball broadcasts won’t get to experience Brooklyn’s expected run in the manner which he should.

According to Phil Mushnick of the New York Post, YES Network is “dumping” Jim Spanarkel.

How — when the team is expected to be at its height with one of the best players in the history of the sport on the roster — do you let someone who’s been on the call throughout the good, bad and ugly go after 30 years?

As Mushnick notes, Spanarkel has a clean record. So, if this is all YES’s decision, there’s no excuse other than an extreme lack of loyalty.

Of course Spanarkel’s role changed over the years. That’s part of the business.

And yes, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced a lot of businesses to make tough decisions. But to remove Spanarkel completely, not even giving him a crack at breaking down Nets games with Durant and Irving together?

You’d think 30 years on the job would guarantee a better ending — especially when there’s so much potential for one.